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‘They’re eating the dogs’: Donald Trump gives nod to false narrative about Haitian immigrants in Ohio
Trump did not directly mention Haitians, but his comments were made in reference to baseless rumors that immigrants from Haiti are killing pets for food.
The first 2024 presidential debate saw GOP candidate Donald Trump criticising an inflow of migrants entering the country. The main focus of opening part of the debate was economy, but the former president continued bringing up immigration.
He disparaged Harris as a “Marxist,” citing her late father as a "Marxist professor in economics.
Trump started speaking about immigration by mentioning Springfield, Ohio. “You see what's happening with towns throughout the United States,” he said.
Trump did not mention Haitians during his debate speech, but his comments were made in reference to baseless rumors that immigrants from Haiti are killing ducks and geese for food and snatching pets from their neighbors in Ohio.
The delusion that immigrants in Ohio are consuming people's pets has been spread by the former president.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats … they’re eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame,” the former president said.
Trump shares AI-generated photo of himself with kittens and ducks
According to a Springfield police spokesperson, the agency has not received any allegations of pets being stolen and eaten.
Before heading for debate in Philadelphia, Trump shared an AI-generated photo of himself with kittens and ducks on social media, causing both laughter and controversy.
According to Daily Mail, a local man calmed last month during a city commission meeting that his cat had been taken and consumed by Haitian migrants. The growing number of legal Haitian immigrants in the region was a topic of discussion throughout the meeting.
ABC moderator corrects Trump
David Muir, the moderator, points out that Springfield's city manager claims there isn't any proof of this.
“You bring up Springfield, Ohio, and ABC News did reach out to the city manager there. He told us there have been no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community,” Muir told the former President.
“Well, I've seen people on television saying 'my dog was taken and used for food',” Trump stated.
Harris responded back saying “talk about extreme”.
